Slat-and-wire-fence machine



(No Model.)

\NWNESSESF. \NVflNTORI I Janie? Miller D. MILLER. SLAT AND WIRE FENCEMACHINE. No. 560,734. Patented May 26, 1896'. 5' v I 1. A a, N 2;

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ANIIIIEW BLGRMMM, PHOTO-I-HHQWASHWEWHUJ C UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEDANIEL MILLER, or HAMILTON, MISSOURI.

SLAT-AND-WlRE-FENCE MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 560,734, dated. May 26,1896. Application filed January 30, 1896. Serial No. 577,434. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, DANIEL MILLER, of Hamilton, Caldwell county,Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inWire-Fence Machines, of which the following is afull, clear, and exactdescription, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming apart thereof.

My invention relates to wire-and-picket fence apparatus; and my objectis toproduce an apparatus of this character whiclfi's psitive andreliable in action, easy of operation, and simple, strong, durable, andinexpensive of manufacture.

To these ends the invention consists in certain novel andpeculiarfeatures of construc tion and arrangement, as hereinafterdescribed and claimed. V

In order that the invention may be fully understood, I will proceed todescribe it, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in whichFigure 1 represents my apparatus in the process of building a fence.Fig. 2 represents a vertical section of the wire-twisting machine on anenlarged scale. Fig. 3 repre sents, partly in section and partly inelevation, my improved chain tensioning device. Fig. 4 represents a planview of apart of the same. Fig. 5 represents a vertical section of apart of the wire-tensioning device, and Fig. 6 a horizontal section ofthe same.

In the said drawings, 1 1 designate a pair of metallic bars, which arepreferably bent or formed as shown in Fig. 2.

2 designates a block to which said bars are secured at their lower ends,and 3 a foot-piece projecting therefrom.

4: designates a block which is interposed between and secured to saidbars at their upper ends, and which continues upwardly in the form of ahandle 5.

6, 7, and 8 designate sprocket-wheels which are journaled rotatablybetween the bars 1, being provided with circular hub-extensions 9, whichengage or are journaled in openings in said bars in the customarymanner, and at diametrically opposite points through said wheels andhub-extensions are formed the holes or apertures 10 to receive the wiresemployed in building the fence, as hereinafter referred to. The wheel 7is preferably set out of the vertical alinement of the wheels 6 and '8,which is most conveniently doneby forming the bars as shown in Fig. 2,and connecting said wheels 6 and S and engaging tangentially said wheel7 is a sprocket-chain 11, whereby motion given to one wheel is impartedto the others, which motion is preferably given by means of acrank-handle 12, mounted rigidly upon the hub-extension of the uppersprocket-wheel 6, as shown.

Owing to the fact that the sprocket-wheels are not always perfectly truein circumference, and that therefore the tension of the chain would varyif a fixed or unyielding ten- .sion device were employed, I provide, toobviate this difficulty, 2. spring or yielding tension constructed asfollows: 13 designates a right-angled casting, which is secured to thebars 1 either above or below the sprocketwheel 7, in any suitable orpreferred manner, with one arm vertical and the other horizontal, asshown clearly in Fig. 2. The horizontal arm is skeleton in formthat is,it comprises two outwardly-projecting arms, which are connected by aseries of cross-bars 14, as shown clearly in Figs. 3 and 4. A set-screw15 extends through the Vertical arm and engages one arm of a spring 16,which spring at its lower end is provided with a hook 17, which engagesone of the cross-bars 14 and is provided with a shoulderor shoulders 18to bear also against one or more of said cross-bars, so that it cannotbe accidentally displaced or disengaged. Said spring 16 bears againstthe chain with a strong yet yielding pressure, so that the slack isalways taken up because the spring adjusts itself to all conditions ofthe chain.

Referring now to my improved wire-tensioning device, 19 designates agas-pipe, and 20 two or more collars which surround and are securedrigidly to the same at distances apart about equal to the distancebetween the wheels 6, 7, and 8.

21 designates a corresponding number of clutches which loosely orrotatably embrace said pipe above said collars, and are therebyprevented a from slipping downward on the pipe. They are provided withthe parallel arms 22, connected by a series of detachable cross-pins 23.

2st designates eyebolts which extend through IOU the gas-pipe atsuitable points, and 25 designates ropes or cables which connect saideyebolts with a post 26, secured firmly in the ground.

27 designates a Windlass or crank-handle which is secured rigidly to theupper end of the gas-pipe, whereby the latter may be operated and causedto roll upon the ropes 25, thereby forming a winding-drum for thelatter, as shown in Fig. 1, and as hereinafter more particularlyreferred to.

In practice, when afence is to be built, the wires, after being threadedthrough two or more of the sprocket wheels, are secured firmly at oneend to apost fixed in the ground. (Not shown The twisting-machine isthen arranged within about six inches of the post. On the line of thefence at any suitable distance away the post 26 is then set firmly intothe ground, and the wire-tension device hereinbefore described is thenattached by cables or ropes to said post. The wires or, which extendthrough the holes or apertures 10 of the sprocket-wheels, are then drawnas tight as possible and are engaged with the cross-pins 23 of theclevises in the manner shown in Fig. 5. This is accomplished by drawingthe Wires over or under the first pin after removing the others, thenslipping the second pin over or under the wire or wires, as the case maybe, then the third pin under or over the wires, then the fourth pin overor under the wires, and so on, according to the number of pins employed.This arrangement kinks the wire, so that when the Windlass is operated,which is the next step to be performed, it rolls upon the cables orropes toward the post 26, and as said cables or ropes are wound upon thegaspipe or drum of the Windlass the slack in the wires a is consequentlytaken up and they are tensioned in the required or necessary degree. Thehook 28 is now slipped over the crank of the windlass and over theadjacent rope or cable 25, as illustrated in Fig. l, and therebyprevents the back rotation of the same and positively and reliably holdsthe wires at the necessary tension. The building of the fence may now beaccomplished by inserting a picket between the machine and the posthereinbefore referred to and then rotating the sprocket-wheels andtwisting the wire, the machine being held meanwhile by grasping thehandle 5 with one hand and pressing one foot firmly upon the footpiece3. The machine is now moved a few inches farther from said picket and asecond picket inserted and secured, as described, only in this case thewire is twisted in the opposite direction, to prevent the entanglementor twisting of that portion of the wire between the machine and thewire-tensioning device, as will be readily understood. This operation isrepeated until all the pickets have been secured in position.

When three sets of wires are twisted by this machine, as illustrated inFig. 1', it'is necessary, of course, that the upper set extend throughthe axial end of the crank-handle in the customary manner or else thelatter be secured to the sprocket-wheel outside of said wires, so thatit may be turned without interfering with them. particularly, however,for use with two wires, so that a low fence may be easily and quicklybuilt, the principal object being to provide a fence sufficiently highto prevent the escape of hogs. When two wires only are employed thepickets will only be in length about as indicated by the dotted lines,Fig. 1. In this case, also, only two clevises will be necessary.

From the above description it will be apparent that I have produced anapparatus for building picket-fences which is comparatively light inweight and yet simple, strong, durable, and inexpensive of construction.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a fence-building apparatus, a wiretensioning machine, comprising asuitable frame provided with a foot-piece and with a handle,sprocket-wheels journaled therein and provided with holes or aperturesto receive the wires to be twisted in the formation of a fence, a chainconnecting said sprocketwheels, a crank-handle for imparting motion tosaid chain, and a spring tension device engaging said chain andconsisting of a casting secured in the frame, a spring attached to saidcasting at its lower end and bearing against the chain, and a set-screwadj ustably mounted in the frame and bearing against the opposite end ofsaid spring, whereby the pressure of the latter against the chain may beincreased or diminished at the will of the operator, substantially asdescribed.

2. In a fence-building apparatus, a wiretensioning machine, comprising asuitable frame provided with a foot-piece and with a handle, sprocket-wheels journaled therein and provided with holes or apertures toreceive the wires to be twisted in the formation of a fence, a chainconnecting said sprocketwheels, a crank-handle for imparting motion tosaid chain, and a spring tension device engaging said chain andconsisting of a casting secured in the framework, comprising a verticalarm and a horizontal forwardly-projecting arm, the latter being providedwith a series of cross-pieces, a spring bearing against said chain andprovided with a hook at its lower end engaging one of said cross-bars,and with shoulders engaging also one or more of said cross-bars, and aset-screw mounted in the vertical arm of the casting and bearing againstthe opposite end of the spring, whereby the pressure exerted by thelatter upon the chain may be varied, substantially as described.

3. A fence-building apparatus, comprising a fixed post or anchor, aWindlass, ropes or cables connecting said post and said windlass, andclevises mounted loosely or rotatably upon the drum or Windlass andattached to The invention is designed.

to be tensioned is bent or kinked when the Windlass is operated, and ahook for connecting the handle of the Windlass and one of said ropes orcables, to prevent the back rotation of the Windlass and the consequentslackening of the Wires, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

DANIEL MILLER. Witnesses:

L. FOUCH, H. FARABEE.

